Poll: Americans largely in favor of campaign spending limitations

Amid the flurry of cash directed at the presidential campaigns as well as congressional races, a new poll reveals that the American people aren’t pleased with the vast amount of fundraising now involved in elections.

An Associated Press-National Constitution Center poll found that 83% believe there should be at least some limits on the amount of money corporations, unions and other organizations are permitted to contribute to groups seeking to influence the outcome of presidential and congressional races. And 67% think that limits should also be placed on individual contributions to campaigns. That matches up with just 13% who don’t want limits on external contributions, and 28% who repudiate limits on individuals.

The poll comes during the first post-Citizens United presidential election, stemming from the 2010 Supreme Court decision which ceased limitations on campaign expenditures aimed toward independent organizations made by corporations, ruling them to be free speech protected under the Constitution.

The Los Angeles Times has detailed much of the money spent by third-party groups on either side of the presidential race, which as of Sunday has topped $152 million since April. That spending is dominated by spending against President Obama, ($88.9 million), compared with the relatively small amount spent so far against Mitt Romney ($34.9 million).

Americans for Prosperity, a conservative nonprofit advocacy group heavily backed by the well-known Koch brothers, top the list of groups working against Obama, spending $30.8 million on “issue ads.” Restore Our Future, a group formed by former aides of Romney’s campaign, narrowly trails AFP with $28.4 million.

Spending against Romney, on the other hand, is singularly dominated by Priorities USA Action’s $26.4 million, which accounts for over 75% of the total spending against the Republican candidate. Priorities USA Action, like Restore Our Future, was started by former White House aides.

Tellingly, opposition spending dwarfs spending made in favor of either candidate, with just $4.8 million spent in support of Obama, and $13 million spent in favor of Romney.

As for the presidential rivals themselves, Obama and the Democratic Party, for the first time since April, recently out-raised Romney and the Republican National Committee during August, $114 million to $111.6 million. Through August, Obama and the DNC lead Romney and the RNC in fundraising $747.4 million to $645.9 million.